Washington: At least 16 documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein disappeared from the US Justice Department’s public webpage within a day of being uploaded, sparking political criticism and renewed scrutiny over the handling of the long-running case. The missing files reportedly included images referencing former US President Donald Trump, with no official explanation offered for their removal.
The documents were accessible on Friday but could no longer be found by Saturday. Among them were photographs of artwork depicting nude women and images showing photographs placed on furniture and inside drawers at Epstein’s properties. One such image reportedly showed a photograph of Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Epstein’s close associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Justice Department has not clarified whether the removal was accidental or deliberate. A spokesperson for the department did not respond to media queries seeking an explanation, further fuelling speculation online about the sudden disappearance of the files.
Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee seized on the issue, highlighting the missing image featuring Trump in a post on X. “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public,” the lawmakers said.
The episode has added to concerns surrounding the Justice Department’s recent release of tens of thousands of pages related to Epstein. While the disclosures were highly anticipated, critics argue they offered limited new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to escape serious federal charges for years.
Several key records remain absent from the released material, including FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memoranda analysing charging decisions. These documents were expected to shed light on why Epstein was allowed in 2008 to plead guilty to a lesser state-level prostitution charge.
The disclosures also make scant reference to several influential figures long linked to Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew, raising further questions about the scope and completeness of the release. However, the records do include some new details, such as information on a 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children and insights into why a federal investigation into him was dropped in the early 2000s.
While the document trove contains numerous images of Epstein’s properties in New York and the US Virgin Islands, as well as photographs involving celebrities and politicians, observers noted the limited number of images featuring Trump compared to previously unseen photographs of former President Bill Clinton. Neither Trump nor Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and both have publicly distanced themselves from him.
Despite a congressional deadline requiring full disclosure by Friday, the Justice Department has said records will be released in phases, citing the need to redact survivors’ names and sensitive information. No timeline has been provided for the release of additional documents.
